Britt Baker Beats Ruby Soho to Win AEW Women's Owen Hart Cup Tournament Final
May 30, 2022
CLEVELAND, OH - JANUARY 26: Dr. Britt Baker, D.M.D. in the ring during AEW Dynamite on January 26, 2022, at the Wolstein Center in Cleveland, OH. (Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Britt Baker won the first-ever Owen Hart Foundation women's tournament at AEW Double or Nothing on Sunday by beating Ruby Soho in the finals.
Soho attempted a victory roll, which Baker countered into a pinfall of her own. She kept Soho's shoulders down on the mat long enough to pick up the victory.
After reaching a merchandising agreement with the estate of late wrestling legend Owen Hart last year, AEW announced that it would be holding both women's and men's tournaments bearing his name.
Qualifiers began at the end of March, and the Owen Hart Cup tourney subsequently ran through April and much of May before culminating at Double or Nothing.
The men's tournament saw Adam Cole and Samoa Joe go the distance, while Soho and Baker, who is Cole's real-life girlfriend, ran the gauntlet in the women's field.
Both Baker and Soho had to win three matches in order to reach the finals, and they seemed to increase in difficulty with each passing round.
Baker defeated Danielle Kamela in the qualifying round before defeating a surprise opponent in Maki Itoh in the quarterfinals and then Toni Storm in the semis thanks to the help of Jamie Hayter.
Soho beat a pair of Japanese stars in the qualifying round and quarters, getting past Yuka Sakazaki and former AEW women's world champion Riho, respectively.
To complete her run to the finals, Soho survived a hard-fought battle with Kris Statlander on Friday's episode of Rampage, locking in her match against Baker at Double or Nothing.
Baker and Soho had some unfinished business, as Soho challenged then-AEW women's champion Baker for the title on the Grand Slam edition of Dynamite in September.
D.M.D. won the match thanks in large part to some interference, and Soho has been trying to work her way back up through the ranks ever since.
Soho was out for revenge Sunday, but Baker beat her once again, further cementing her status as the face of the AEW women's division.
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Adam Cole Beats Samoa Joe to Win AEW Men's Owen Hart Cup Tournament Final
May 30, 2022
CLEVELAND, OH - JANUARY 26: Adam Cole makes his way to the ring during AEW Dynamite on January 26, 2022, at the Wolstein Center in Cleveland, OH. (Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Adam Cole beat Samoa Joe at All Elite Wrestling Double or Nothing on Sunday night to win the inaugural Owen Hart Foundation men's tournament.
Cole brought The Boom—literally and figuratively—to Joe en route to the victory. He caught his opponent flush on the back of his head with an exposed knee, which was enough to keep Joe down for the three count.
AEW announced in September 2021 that it had reached an agreement with the estate of Owen Hart to use his name and likeness for numerous purposes, including the Owen Hart Cup.
Both men's and women's tourneys were held with qualifying matches beginning at the end of March. The tournaments ran throughout April and much of May, and the finals were contested at Double or Nothing.
On the men's side, Cole and Joe each scored three victories on the way to the finals, picking up plenty of momentum along the way.
Cole had to beat New Japan Pro-Wrestling star Tomohiro Ishii to qualify for the tournament, and he followed that up by taking down FTR's Dax Harwood in the quarterfinals and Jeff Hardy in the semifinals in what was a first-time-ever match.
Joe made his debut under the AEW umbrella at Ring of Honor Supercard of Honor XV in April, shortly after AEW president Tony Khan purchased ROH.
In subsequent weeks, the 43-year-old veteran defeated Max Caster of The Acclaimed to qualify for the tournament. After that, he beat former WWE star John Morrison, who wrestled under the name Johnny Elite, in the quarters and then Cole's longtime stablemate Kyle O'Reilly in the semis.
Cole and Joe have worked in many of the same places over the years, including ROH and WWE NXT, but Sunday marked the first time they ever wrestled each other.
Prior to Double or Nothing, all they had was a confrontation in NXT when Joe was serving as an enforcer for then-NXT general manager William Regal, as he choked out Cole in a backstage segment.
Although the payoff happened in a different company, Cole got his revenge at Double or Nothing by winning the Owen Hart Cup and perhaps put himself back in the mix for an AEW World Championship opportunity in the near future.
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The Hardys Defeat Young Bucks at AEW Double or Nothing 2022
May 30, 2022
RALEIGH, NC - JULY 26: Jeff Hardy and Matt Hardy attend the GalaxyCon Raleigh 2019 at Raleigh Convention Center on July 26, 2019 in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Bobby Bank/Getty Images)
In their first meeting under the All Elite Wrestling umbrella, The Hardys defeated The Young Bucks at Double or Nothing on Sunday night.
Matt Hardy spiked Nick Jackson with a Twist of Fate, which put Jackson into position for Jeff Hardy to deliver the Swanton Bomb.
Jeff had already incapacitated Matt Jackson with a Swanton onto the ring steps on the outside.
Fans had been eagerly anticipating Sunday's bout as soon as Jeff made his AEW debut in March by saving his brother, Matt, from an attack at the hands of his former AHFO stablemates.
Jeff was part of the Owen Hart Foundation tournament, but Adam Cole eliminated him on the May 18 episode of Dynamite, and things broke down afterward with The Undisputed Elite getting into a brawl with The Hardys, Darby Allin and Sting.
On the ensuing episode of Rampage, Matt and Nick Jackson challenged The Hardys to a match at Double or Nothing, and the legendary tag team accepted.
While Sunday's contest was the first between The Hardys and the Bucks in AEW, the teams were no stranger to each other, as they had faced off on multiple occasions in prior years.
After wrestling each other three times at independent shows in 2014, The Hardys and The Young Bucks had a highly entertaining feud in Ring of Honor in 2017.
Jeff and Matt beat the Jacksons for the ROH tag team titles at Manhattan Mayhem VI, retained them at ROH Winner Takes All in a Triple Threat that also included RPG Vice, and then dropped the straps back to the Bucks in a ladder match at Supercard of Honor XI.
That last bout occurred just one day before The Hardys made their long-awaited return to WWE as surprise entrants in a ladder match for the Raw Tag Team Championships at WrestleMania 33, which they won.
Now, Jeff and Matt are reunited in AEW, and Sunday marked their first pay-per-view match as a team in the company.
Many consider The Hardys to be the greatest tag team of all time and The Young Bucks to be the best current tandem, but it was experience that won out at Double or Nothing.
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Wardlow Defeats MJF at Double or Nothing 2022, Earns AEW Contract
May 30, 2022
CLEVELAND, OH - JANUARY 26: Wardlow pins Elijah Dean and James Alexander during AEW Dynamite on January 26, 2022, at the Wolstein Center in Cleveland, OH. (Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Wardlow defeated MJF at All Elite Wrestling Double or Nothing on Sunday, freeing him of his contractual ties to MJF.
MJF did what he could to prolong the inevitable and even attempted to renegotiate a new deal with Wardlow in the middle of the ring. Ultimately, he couldn't avoid multiple powerbombs.
At one point, Wardlow placed his foot on MJF's chest for the pinfall but removed it before the referee could count to three. That allowed him to mete out even more punishment until he decided enough was enough.
AEW was seemingly building toward Wardlow vs. MJF for months and perhaps even years, and things finally came to a head Sunday in Las Vegas, as they clashed in arguably the most highly anticipated match on the card.
Until recently, Wardlow was MJF's bodyguard for the entirety of their run in AEW, and he was a key figure in MJF's success, interfering in his matches regularly.
Eventually, Wardlow grew tired of MJF's antics and the fact that he would degrade him whenever things didn't go perfectly.
That resulted in Wardlow costing MJF his dog collar match against CM Punk at Revolution, which in turn may have cost MJF a shot at the AEW World Championship, as Punk parlayed the win into a title opportunity.
In turn, MJF cost Wardlow by interfering in his TNT Championship match against Scorpio Sky, resulting in Sky successfully defending the title.
MJF subsequently claimed that he essentially owned Wardlow since Wardlow's contract was with him and not AEW. That led to MJF going to great lengths to make life miserable for Mr. Mayhem.
Wardlow made it clear that he wanted an opportunity to get his hands on MJF and also to get out of his contract, and MJF agreed as long as Wardlow could meet several conditions.
MJF forced Wardlow to face and beat monstrous competitors on a weekly basis, and he did precisely that by running through The Butcher, Lance Archer and W. Morrissey.
The second-to-last hoop Wardlow had to jump through was taking 10 lashes from MJF. Wardlow didn't sell them whatsoever, causing MJF to lose his cool and hit Wardlow with a low blow before lashing him over and over.
Finally, Wardlow had to beat Shawn Spears in a steel cage match on Dynamite with MJF as the special guest referee. After Spears accidentally hit MJF with a steel chair, Wardlow took advantage and pinned Spears.
That made their Double or Nothing match official, and with Wardlow beating his longtime boss, the path is now clear for him to sign an AEW contract independent of MJF.
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WWE's Charlotte Flair, AEW's Andrade Married at Wedding Ceremony in Mexico
May 28, 2022
SEATTLE, WA - JUNE 28: Pro Wrestler and WWE Superstar Charlotte Flair speaks onstage during ACE Comic Con at Century Link Field Event Center on June 28, 2019 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Mat Hayward/Getty Images)
WWE star Charlotte Flair and AEW star Andrade El Idolo are now married after a ceremony in Mexico on Friday evening.
Per Elissa Rosen and Lindsay Kimble of People, the wedding took place at Hacienda Mi Ranchito in Torreon, Andrade's hometown.
Charlotte, a 13-time champion, walked down the aisle accompanied by her father, wrestling legend Ric Flair. Her bridal party included former WWE star Nia Jax.
Around 160 people attended the wedding of the couple, who got engaged in January 2020.
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Updated 2022 AEW Double or Nothing Match Card Ahead of PPV
May 28, 2022
LOS ANGELES, CA - MAY 6: CM Punk rides the Zamboni during Game Three of the First Round of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs between the Edmonton Oilers and the Los Angeles Kings at Crypto.com Arena on May 6, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NHLI via Getty Images)
Double or Nothing has arguably been AEW's biggest pay-per-view since the creation of the company, and Sunday's event stands to have a massive impact moving forward.
Most notably, "Hangman" Adam Page is putting the AEW World Championship on the line in the main event against CM Punk, who is the biggest signing in the promotion's history.
Several other championships will be on the line as well, plus the winners of the men's and women's Owen Hart Foundation tournaments will be determined at the pay-per-view.
Ahead of the event in Las Vegas, here is everything you need to know about when and where to watch Double or Nothing, as well as a full rundown of the match card.
Where: T-Mobile Arena in Paradise, Nevada
When: Sunday, May 29 at 8 p.m. ET (Buy-In pre-show starts at 7 p.m. ET)
Watch: B/R Live, PPV
Double or Nothing 2022 Match Card
AEW World Championship: "Hangman" Adam Page (c) vs. CM Punk
AEW Women's World Championship: Thunder Rosa (c) vs. Serena Deeb
MJF vs. Wardlow
The Hardys vs. The Young Bucks
Anarchy in the Arena: Jericho Appreciation Society vs. Bryan Danielson, Jon Moxley, Eddie Kingston, Santana & Ortiz
AEW World Tag Team Championships: Jurassic Express (c) vs. Ricky Starks and Powerhouse Hobbs vs. Keith Lee and Swerve Strickland
Men's Owen Hart Foundation Tournament Final: Adam Cole vs. Samoa Joe
Women's Owen Hart Foundation Tournament Final: Britt Baker vs. Ruby Soho
TBS Championship: Jade Cargill (c) vs. Anna Jay
House of Black vs. Death Triangle
Kyle O'Reilly vs. Darby Allin
Scorpio Sky, Ethan Page and Paige VanZant vs. Sammy Guevara, Frankie Kazarian and Tay Conti
Buy-In Match: Hook and Danhausen vs. Tony Nese and Mark Sterling
Top Double or Nothing Matches to Watch
'Hangman' Adam Page vs. CM Punk
Since making his AEW debut in August, CM Punk has meticulously worked his way up the rankings, and he is finally in position to accomplish his stated goal of becoming AEW world champion.
Standing in his way is "Hangman" Adam Page, who went through several ups and downs before finally beating Kenny Omega for the AEW world title at Full Gear in November.
While both Page and Punk are beloved babyfaces, they have drawn a line in the sand leading up to Double or Nothing and essentially split the AEW fanbase in half.
Page has claimed that he is fighting on behalf of AEW against an outsider, while Punk has been steadfast in his insistence that AEW is just as important to him as it is Page.
Sunday's match has the feel of a title change since there is so much momentum on Punk's side, but there could be even more to it.
Punk has more or less pandered to the fans and had a "happy to be here" attitude during his AEW run thus far, meaning he is ripe for a heel turn at Double or Nothing.
A Page heel turn can't be ruled out either since Punk is so popular, bt this match has a chance to be special whatever happens, and the booking decision will say a great deal about the path of the company moving forward.
MJF vs. Wardlow
In terms of storyline progression and the road to Double or Nothing, there is no more compelling match on the card than MJF vs. Wardlow.
Wardlow was once MJF's bodyguard and helped him win numerous big matches, but now Wardlow is trying to strike out on his own, and MJF is doing everything in his power to prevent it.
Wardlow has a contract with MJF rather than AEW, and the outcome of the match will determine whether that changes.
If Wardlow wins, his contract with MJF will be null and void, allowing him to sign with AEW. If MJF wins, however, Wardlow will be barred from ever signing a deal with AEW.
It seems relatively obvious that Wardlow will win before going on a dominant singles run, but that doesn't make the match any less intriguing.
Since MJF is so good as a heel, fans have long waited for him to get his comeuppance, and he should get it in a significant way at Double or Nothing.
If the match is booked the right way, Wardlow will come out of it looking like a massive star and a future world champion.
The Hardys vs. The Young Bucks
While no titles are involved, one of the most highly anticipated tag team matches in AEW history will take place at Double or Nothing.
For the first time since Jeff Hardy joined his brother Matt in AEW, The Hardys will be in action on pay-per-view, and it will be against the foundation of the AEW tag team division in The Young Bucks.
While The Hardys and The Young Bucks have wrestled each other before, their most recent match occurred five years ago, and it was in Ring of Honor.
There will be even more eyes on them this time around, and both teams perhaps have even more to prove now.
The Hardys are already considered one of the greatest tag teams of all time, but both Jeff and Matt are approaching the twilight of their careers, and Double or Nothing provides an opportunity to show they are still at the top of their game.
Meanwhile, The Young Bucks are trying to cement their status as one of the best tag teams ever, and a strong performance against The Hardys could go a long way.
Additionally, the winning team figures to enter contention for the AEW World Tag Team Championships, adding even more importance to their encounter.
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